Decisions
by Deandra
Summary: Caffola’s intended proposal is not received as expected. Fluffy little ONESHOT, but in 3 chapters. Part 101 of the Elfwine Chronicles.
1. Chapter 1

**_Part 101 of the Elfwine Chronicles. The Elfwine Chronicles are a series of one-shots built around the family group of Eomer, Lothiriel and Elfwine. The total number will depend on how many ideas I get for new vignettes._**

**_A/N: Thanks go to Tracey for her persistent nudges to keep me moving on this, despite the interference of Real Life. And there are still another two waiting in the wings. This story is 3 chapters, though the final chapter is quite a bit shorter than the other two._**

_**You lot were so kind as to give me 10 reviews on Duet, that I won't delay starting to post this. Also, if you are following the wonderful Boromir story Champions: Out of the Past, a new chapter is up. It is actually both a LOTR and Boromir story, and quite unusual. Well worth reading.**_

**Decisions**

**(Apr, 23 IV)**

**Chapter 1**

The rain could not dampen Caffola's spirits as he rode to Edoras. Byldan had sent him off to the city for a fortnight, and he was looking forward to seeing the royal family – his family – and Tamwen. Over the past nearly three years, he had spent time with her whenever he was able to come to town. After the third such visit, in his mind, he had begun a courtship, though he had never actually put it into such words.

During that time, his dancing had improved, and he had danced with many girls on his visits. He had even spent a bit more time with one or two of them, getting to know them, but none held his attention as Tamwen did. Truly, she must be one of the finest girls he had ever known, and he was honored that she seemed to find him worthy of her notice.

He had been saving all his wages, and sold a foal from Lithemeg that had brought a handsome price. Byldan had let him begin building a home of his own on their property almost two years ago, and it was nearly finished. Now was the time – he would ask for Tamwen's hand in marriage. At last he had something substantial to offer her.

xx

Tamwen rubbed at her forehead fretfully, listening in silence to her parents' comments.

"Feladyrne is a good man, and he would well be able to provide for you, Tamwen. Why do you hesitate?" her mother questioned.

With a sigh, she tried to explain her reserve with Feladyrne. "I do not deny he has been most attentive and accommodating, Mother, but I just…do not have those kind of feelings for him. There is something about him that…." She trailed off, unsure of what she meant, much less knowing how to say it so it made any sense.

Her mother crossed her arms and frowned. "You are still hoping that other boy – Caffola – will make an offer," she accused, and Tamwen knew she could not honestly deny that.

"Caffola is–" she began, but her father interrupted.

"Caffola is not here and not reliable. Do you truly wish to go off and live on the plains in some drafty cottage with meager means? That is all that boy can offer you. Feladyrne has a good job here in town, and comes from a good family. We do not even know anything about Caffola's past."

"That is not so!" Tamwen defended. "I know a great deal of his past. He is an orphan from the Westfold, who has become like a member of the family to our king. Does that not speak well for him? And he is a hard worker. He would never let me be in want."

"Tamwen," her mother sighed, "you need to marry, and both your father and I think Feladyrne is the better prospect. It is time for you to give up this flirtation with Caffola and focus your attention on Feladyrne. I am certain he will soon make an offer. You are to tell Caffola in your next letter that your affections have turned elsewhere. It is for the best. If you continue this infatuation, Feladyrne is likely to lose interest."

For an instant, Tamwen stared at her parents in disbelief of this ultimatum, but then she dropped her eyes. It was true that Caffola had given her no indication that he ever desired to make their association something more permanent. Clearly he enjoyed her company, but in all the time she had known him he had never spoken of marriage. Perhaps she had been foolish to think he was inclined along those lines. Feladyrne was here and attentive, and likely her parents were right that it was time to be sensible and settle down.

"Very well," she murmured listlessly. The capitulation gave her no pleasure. She was _very_ fond of Caffola….

xx

Dengel watched Feladyrne with amusement as he carefully brushed his hair. "I have never seen a man primp as you do!" he laughed. "What is the occasion?"

Feladyrne smirked at his friend over his shoulder. "When there is a young lady involved, a man must pay attention to his grooming! You might want to keep that in mind!" He turned back to check his appearance in the looking glass one final time. "I am very close to getting her right where I want her. Once I have done that, if she pleases well enough, I may enjoy sampling her delights for awhile. Otherwise, I will move on to someone else."

Dengel's eyes narrowed in puzzlement. "You are only looking for a bit of pleasure with this girl? I thought surely your efforts must be leading to marriage."

"Marriage? Me? I am not the marrying kind, my friend. There are far too many women to enjoy for me to settle down with just one. Once I am tired of this one, I will move on to greener pastures."

Dengel frowned and shook his head. "I will not deny I have enjoyed the company of a woman or two before this, but I could not use someone so callously as you do. It is not right."

Feladryne was satisfied with his appearance and laid down the brush. "It is not a matter of what is right or wrong. I will make sure she enjoys the experience – while it lasts. I can be most pleasing and accommodating when I choose. Then she can go off and marry someone else, all the wiser for having known me." With a wink, he moved to the door and was gone.

Dengel sighed after he left, and shook his head again. Regardless of what Feladyrne said, he could not think well of this behavior. He hoped the young lady would not be too hurt by his friend's actions.

xxxxx

Having gotten a late start, Caffola did not reach Edoras until well into the evening. He had had a busy day of work prior to his departure, so after a quick bite of food and brief greetings with the royal family, he was more than ready to turn in for the night. Though he was eager to see Tamwen, he did not want their reunion to be rushed if he was going to ask for her hand.

The next day dawned bright and sunny, and the light rain that had been falling had ended during the night. Caffola quickly washed and dressed, then set out for the Golden Hall, to eat and seek his beloved. The former was easily accomplished, but when he inquired after Tamwen, he was told she had the day off and was away from Meduseld. Sighing with disappointment, he focused on his meal.

Elfwine came to join him a short time later and they chatted briefly. Then as they fell silent, Elfwine studied him for a few moments. They had not had much opportunity to talk the previous night but now, looking more closely at his friend, he could tell there was something on Caffola's mind.

"Do you wish to speak of it?" Elfwine asked quietly.

Caffola's eyes came up to gaze questioningly at him, but found Elfwine merely eyeing him expectantly. With a grin, Caffola told him, "It is truly annoying that you know me so well!"

Elfwine chuckled and raised an eyebrow as he replied, "You are not difficult to read, Caffola. I have never known anyone more open and straight-forward than you." Once Caffola joined in his laughter, Elfwine prompted, "So?"

Caffola shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant, then admitted, "I hope to…have Tamwen accept my suit." He looked cautiously at his friend, awaiting a reaction to this news.

Elfwine ducked his head as he grinned, then looked up and snickered, "It is about time!"

Caffola flushed red, but defended, "I did not want to speak of it until I had something to offer her." He jutted his jaw and teased, "Not all of us are born royal and may marry whomever we wish! A woman knows _you_ can provide for her, but the likes of me must prove it!"

Elfwine rose from his seat, but paused to look down and sincerely answer, "Perhaps, but you will do fine. She could not ask for a better husband, and certainly not one who loves her more."

Caffola again blushed as Elfwine added, "I must be going. I will see you at the dance tonight."

For the remainder of the day, Caffola was somewhat at loose ends. Normally he brought horses with him when he visited Edoras, but that was not the case this time, so he had none that needed his attention other than his own mount. He spent some time with the royal family, and Lothiriel selected more books for him. Once their lessons were done, later that afternoon, Theodwyn wanted him to spar with her, and Theomund agreed to come watch though he was not terribly interested in participating himself.

Finally, tired and sweaty, they called it quits and returned to Meduseld to wash, and prepare for the festivities that evening. As the time drew closer when he would see Tamwen, Caffola became more nervous. He had not seen her since the previous fall, though they had written regularly. He very much hoped he was not mistaken about her regard for him, and that his proposal would be well received. Likely, he should have given her some indication before this of his feelings, but he had never quite known how to go about it, and so it had been easier to hope she understood from his actions.

Theodwyn appeared at his door, knocking energetically, and he went to open it with a grin. He could always tell it was her by the way she knocked. "Come!" she exclaimed, as soon as she saw him. "You must promise me the first dance!" She caught his arm and began tugging him toward the main hall.

With a laugh, he followed along. "Very well, but I cannot imagine why you would not wish to give that honor to one of your brothers – say, Theomund?"

She snorted at the suggestion and they both laughed. Theomund had already developed the reputation of being a careless dancer, and Theodwyn did not care to have her toes trod on, though she would sometimes risk it when desperate for a partner. "_You_ are one of my brothers – and both taller and a better dancer than Theomund! Stop trying to get out of it!" she declared, and they laughed again, though he was touched by her sentiment. Theodwyn was not often open with her feelings about others, but he was pleased she thought so well of him.

Already the hall was beginning to fill, and the small crowd was milling around in eager anticipation. The dance tonight was part of the Spring Festival that would run throughout the week in Edoras. Everyone was relieved that the rain had disappeared and they could have a dry celebration, since much of it would take place outdoors.

By the time the gathering was being seated for the meal, Caffola was beginning to be on edge. This waiting expectantly to see Tamwen was wearing on his nerves, though he tried to conceal his agitation. Even so, he caught Elfwine watching him with a knowing smile several times as they ate.

He had not yet spotted Tamwen, and was uncertain if she was working tonight or not. If so, he had not seen her in the main hall, though his eyes kept scanning the room for her. Not until the tables were being pushed back for dancing did he locate her, though not where he expected, and not alone.

To his surprise, she had been seated at the far end of the hall, with a young man that Caffola knew only by name. As he watched them, it was evident that they were at the festivities together. While he had not mentioned to her that he would be here, wanting to surprise her, he had not expected this and it left him off his guard, and wondering how to proceed.

Without realizing it, he had been moving closer to where the couple stood, and suddenly the crowd parted enough that, just as she looked up, he was in her eye line. She appeared to pale slightly at the sight of him, then recovered somewhat and said something to her companion, who moved away as she slowly walked toward him, looking very nervous.

"Caffola," she said, then stopped, clearly ill at ease. "I…did not expect to see you here." That was much more of an understatement than he knew, for though she had reconciled herself to doing what her parents demanded, she had preferred to break things off with Caffola in a letter rather than face to face.

Uncertainly, he stood staring at her, then glanced to where Feladyrne had gone and back at her. Finally, she dredged up her courage and told him, "I…I think it best that…Feladyrne and I have been spending considerable time together and…." Her courage failed her, and she didn't manage to speak a coherent sentence of explanation, but it was evident by the expression on his face that he had taken her meaning.

"Do…do you have an understanding with Feladyrne?" he asked softly, reluctant to know but unable to stop the question.

"Not yet…but I think it will likely happen soon," she murmured.

Just then, Feladyrne returned with the wine Tamwen had requested he fetch. Looking dismissively at Caffola, he nodded curtly and said, "Caffola." Then catching Tamwen by the elbow, he began to steer her away, throwing back over his shoulder, "Please excuse us."

Tamwen's face flamed at this rude treatment of Caffola, but she was too embarrassed to act and allowed herself to be guided away from him. He stood staring after her until the movement of couples around him awakened him to the fact that he was blocking part of the dance area.

Dejectedly, Caffola turned away and moved toward one of the side exits from the hall. He did not notice that Theodwyn had been standing nearby, having come to claim him for their dance, nor did he realize she had witnessed the full exchange with Tamwen and Feladyrne. Scowling in resentment of the way he had been treated, she spun on her heel and charged through the crowd in search of Elfwine.

Elfwine had just gotten Dariel seated comfortably in a chair where she could watch the proceedings. She was in her seventh month of pregnancy and not always at ease, but she participated in activities as long as she could before she was forced to retire for the evening. Just as Elfwine straightened, Theodwyn charged up and caught him by the arm to drag him away for a private conversation. Dariel shook her head in amusement, by now quite used to Theodwyn's blunt manner.

"Theodwyn, what is it?" Elfwine asked, freeing his arm from her grasp.

Pacing angrily in front of him, she animatedly relayed what had taken place, then demanded, "What are we to do?"

Older and wiser, Elfwine better understood the situation and told her firmly, "Nothing." As she began to protest, he stopped her with a raised hand. "Theodwyn, this is not something you can fix. I will go talk to Caffola, but anything you might do to try and help would only make things worse. Please, just be his friend, but do not interfere." He reached out and stroked her head soothingly at the frustrated look in her eyes. "I know it is difficult, and I want to help Caffola, too, but we must tread lightly. Love is not something outsiders should meddle in."

"But he–" she began to protest, only to be interrupted.

"No 'buts', Theodwyn." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Trust me on this. Although it is difficult to see Caffola be hurt, there is only so much we can do without hurting him more."

Reluctantly, she backed down, crossing her arms in annoyance at the injustice of it all. "Do not fret, dearest," Elfwine reassured. "I will go do what I can."

With a sigh, he moved toward the exit she had indicated Caffola had used, and followed the other young man out into the darkness. It was not difficult to locate his friend, for he had not gone far and was sitting on a bench, staring out into the night.

Elfwine took a seat beside Caffola, remaining silent for awhile. At length, he asked, "Will you not fight for her?"

"She has made her choice," Caffola answered dully. "Of course she would want someone with more to offer than I ever could."

"Stop it!" Elfwine snapped and Caffola looked up, blinking in surprise at his tone.

"I will not allow you to sit here and wallow in self-pity. You are a good man, you have an honorable occupation, you are a hard worker and have a pleasing disposition. Feladyrne can offer her nothing more or better than you can." He paused a moment and then added, "And I am not convinced he offers her as _much_ as you do."

"What do you mean?" Caffola asked hesitantly.

"I do not think he loves her. I think…I have seen men like him before. I think he toys with her for his own pleasure, and will ill use her, then cast her aside. If you truly love her, you would not let her suffer such a fate."

"Have you learned something?" Caffola questioned, demandingly. "If so, I would hear it!"

"No," Elfwine sighed, "nothing has been said to raise my suspicions. It is just a feeling I have – the way he carries himself, and the way I have seen him act with other women."

Caffola shook his head disbelievingly. "You are my friend, and you think you see things that are not there because you want me to be happy. Everyone speaks well of Feladyrne, and even with my own eyes I can find no complaint with his behavior."

Elfwine let out a growl of frustration with his friend's stubbornness, and rose. "I am not wrong. I am sure he will prove his true colors all too soon. And Tamwen will be the one to suffer for your blindness." He turned and strode quickly into Meduseld, his irritation evident in his movements.

Caffola dropped his head into his hands. For just an instant, he entertained the notion Elfwine had planted in his mind, but then he forced it aside. It was wishful thinking that Feladyrne had evil designs on Tamwen. She would not accept his attentions if he were a bad person.

He sat on the bench long into the night, his mind awhirl with many thoughts, but nothing to offer him hope. He would have to plan a future without Tamwen at his side.

TBC

_Leofwine – "agreeable friend" (Durucwen's husband; Tamwen's father)_

_Feladyrne – "many secrets"_

_Halmeth - "fortunate maiden" (Byldan's wife)_

_E 52, L 44, Elfwine 22 (married; Arawine born in June); Theodwyn 15, Theomund 13, Morwen 9, Theodred 0 (born in Feb)_

_Caffola 22, Tamwen 23; Feladyrne 26_

**_End note: It is best that you read the Elfwine Chronicles in the order they were written. The more of them that I wrote, the more likely I was to make reference to one of the previous ones and something that happened there. If you want to read them in order, go to the top of this page and click on my name (Deandra). That will take you to my profile page. Scroll down and you will find all the stories I have written. The Elfwine Chronicles are in order from bottom to top since ffn shows them in the order they were posted. A few were posted out of number order (#15 came after #17, I think), but you can read them in posting order or number order since those few won't be affected in the story content._**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Much later that evening, Feladyrne steered Tamwen away from the Hall. They had danced, and he plied her with wine as the evening unfolded. Now they walked down to the open area behind the kitchens and, finding some bustle around the kitchens themselves, he moved them into the shadows, well away from prying eyes. Though Tamwen was allowing it, it made her uneasy, as it was not entirely appropriate for them to be so alone.

The next instant, she realized with certainty that she had made a mistake. He turned and caught her to him, his hand coming up to stroke her face. In other circumstances, it might have seemed a tender, loving gesture, but her stomach lurched more with fear than passion.

"I should not be here with you," she said, pulling back and starting to move away.

But his hand grasped her wrist and held her. "The time to be coy is past, Tamwen. You have played your proper little game of purity and innocence, but now we are ready to set aside such pretense and get down to the truth – that you want this as much as I do." His lips pressed to her forehead and began working their way around her face, as his hands roamed over her back and pressed her tightly against him.

For several moments, Tamwen was too stunned by his words to react. _Game? Pretense? Did he truly think so poorly of her?_ As his lips and hands began to take more liberties, she came abruptly to her senses. Struggling against his hold, she demanded, "Let go of me! I am not that kind of woman!"

He chuckled, but held her easily. "They all try to claim that, hoping to further incite the passions of the man they desire. There is no need, Tamwen. I am interested, and tonight I will be with you, just as you were hoping." His lips crushed down on hers before she could respond and her protest was muffled.

An angry voice stridently broke the darkness beside them. "Let her go!" Feladyrne jumped at the realization that they were not alone, and pulled back slightly, though he did not release her.

His eyes tried to pierce the darkness and identify the interloper, but a moment later his challenger stepped from the shadows and the moonlight struck him. With a snort of derision, Feladyrne said, "Stay out of this, Caffola. It is none of your concern."

"I will not allow you to treat her so!" Caffola persisted. "Not unless _she_ tells me to leave." His eyes flicked to Tamwen, fearing what her response might be.

Without warning, Feladyrne swung, and his fist connected with Caffola's mouth and nose. He landed another blow before Caffola could react, and Tamwen scurried away from them staring in horror at the fight.

Frantically looking around, she spied a broom someone had left resting against a tree and snatched it up. With a thump, it landed across Feladyrne's back and he broke off his attack to eye her in surprise. "Leave him alone!" she demanded, with more bravado than she felt.

Feladyrne's eyes narrowed at her as she raised the broom to strike again. Finally, he gave her a sneer and straightened his tunic, saying, "You are not worth this much trouble. If you would rather roll in the hay with the stable boy, so be it. There are plenty of others to take your place in my arms."

He threw a smirk at Caffola, where the young man lay sprawled on the ground, his nose and lip bleeding. Then, turning, Feladyrne strode jauntily away as if nothing had happened. Tamwen stared down at Caffola for several moments, but when his eyes came up to meet her gaze, she gave a choking sob, dropped the broom and fled.

Caffola simply sat there for some time, wiping at his nose and staring after Tamwen. Likely she would never forgive him for his interference, but knowing what Feladyrne was intending he could not stand idly by and permit it. Maybe she had wanted to be with Feladyrne, and he had spoiled it for her. He had not thought her that kind, but it seemed he had been mistaken about a great many things lately.

Some time during the night, he crawled over and took a seat on a bench by one of the trees, resting his head back against the broad trunk. By morning he was near frozen from sitting out in the still nippy spring air, but he had not had the ambition to drag himself off to bed, or even get himself cleaned up.

"So it is true," a quiet voice said from his left. "I had been told you were sitting out here with a bloody face," Lothiriel told him. "What has happened, dearest?" She took a seat beside him on the bench.

Numbly, he related the events of the previous evening and his reaction to all that had transpired. The area was beginning to fill with more and more people as the morning began, and the queen realized their conversation was quickly becoming public. Rising, she held out her hand to him. "Come, let us get you washed and tended. Then we will talk."

Without argument, he stood and let her catch his arm, guiding him to his room. She disappeared long enough to send for warm water and some medicants she desired, and he took the opportunity to pull on some fresh clothing that wasn't dirty and bloody.

His face was soon clean and as Lothiriel dabbed ointment on the cut above his lip, she told him, "Dearest, I will not pretend that I know Tamwen well enough to speak adamantly of her character, but consider this. It might not be that she ran from you because she was angry with your interference preventing her being with Feladyrne; it could be that she was embarrassed and ashamed that you had found her in such a compromising situation, and she feared you thought ill of her." She fell silent, allowing him to ponder her words.

For several moments he sat in stony contemplation, but his face was working with the emotions playing across it. At length, his demeanor crumbled and he fell against her breast, weeping. "I could not bear to see him touching her so familiarly," he confessed. "It was like a knife in my gut. I love her so very much. What do I do?"

Setting aside the ointment, Lothiriel wiped her hand on a cloth and then took him in her arms, stroking his head. With a sigh, she told him, "I think you must speak with her. Find out her thoughts on this – whether her reaction was anger or embarrassment – and then go from there. If she was indeed angry, then likely all you can do is try to get over your love for her and drive her from your heart. But if it was the other, then there is yet a chance to make things right. Still, only in speaking with her will you know which it is. All we can do is sit here and speculate."

She pulled back from him and caught his chin, making him look up into her eyes. "If you like, I will send for Tamwen to 'assist' me so that she has the time to talk, and I will even remain with the two of you and help facilitate the conversation, if you wish."

Though fearful of what such a confrontation might bring, Caffola nodded his head resolutely. The queen was right – he could only get answers from Tamwen.

Rising, Lothiriel moved to the door, and sent a servant to get him a light breakfast of bread and cheese. While they waited, she instructed, "You are weary, dearest, and not at your best. Eat what you can and then rest for awhile. I will come get you after dinner and we will set our plan in motion then."

Again Caffola nodded, acquiescing to anything she said. There was likely no one he trusted more than the queen, the first real mother he had known, and the only one until Byldan's wife had also adopted him into her family. As close as he was to Halmeth, he thought of Lothiriel as the mother lost to him at birth, for she was the first to nurture him as a mother would, and she had never ceased to do so.

xx

After the debacle in the kitchen yards, Tamwen had fled to her room, and spent the rest of the night weeping. _Why had she ever listened to her parents?_ She had always believed Caffola the better man of the two, and now both were gone from her – one not soon enough, and the other…. Pain wrenched at her heart as she remembered the look on Caffola's face when she had turned him away in the Golden Hall, and then to see him bloodied on her account had been too much. She had deserved to be ill-used for her own foolhardiness, but Caffola did not merit the misfortune that had befallen him. He had always been worthy of her highest regard and she had treated him cruelly. _How could she ever again bear to look him in the eye?_

Tamwen spent a miserable night, and come the morning she looked as dreadful as she felt. Fortunately, her mother mistook her bedraggled appearance for illness and excused her from work for the day, though that left her alone to wallow in her dismal thoughts. Part of her wanted to see Caffola, to make sure that he was all right after the attack he had suffered, but the greater part of her dreaded the prospect of it.

And what would the queen say? Would Caffola tell the royal family of her part in his injuries? Would they dismiss her from working at Meduseld? Even as the thought crossed her mind, she set it aside. She could not believe Caffola would do such a thing. No, likely he would hide her part in all this in order to protect her – that was his gentle, thoughtful way. And it made her feel all the guiltier to acknowledge it.

To her surprise, shortly after dinnertime a page from Meduseld knocked at her door, saying the queen wished to see her. Her heart leapt into her throat, wondering what this summons signified, and her stomach heaved so violently she thought she might be ill. Still, there was nothing to do but answer the call. Indicating she would be there directly, she washed and dressed, then set out up the hill.

The page had said the queen was awaiting her in Lothiriel's sitting room, and she made her way there, grateful not to pass anyone in the halls who might wonder at her presence when she had stayed home ill today. Knocking fearfully at the door, she heard the queen call, "Come", and she lifted the latch.

At first she was so focused on her monarch that she did not notice there was someone else in the room. Only once she had shut the door and the queen waved her to a seat on a small couch, did she see Caffola sitting tensely in a chair nearby, and avoiding her gaze. His lip was quite swollen and his face a bit bruised, but he seemed not to be too injured, which gave her some slight relief.

Slowly she sat down, unable to keep her gaze from flicking toward Caffola even as she tried to focus on the queen. Lothiriel had had tea brought, and offered her a cup before saying anything more. Nervously, Tamwen took it, more to have something to occupy her hands than for any thirst.

Gently, Lothiriel broached the subject that was on the mind of everyone in the room, saying, "I am aware that there was a bit of trouble last night outside the kitchens, and Caffola has told me his version of things. While I do not doubt the truthfulness of what he has said, I think it possible that he may not have all the facts available to him in this matter. Would you tell me what happened last night, Tamwen?"

Tamwen visibly gulped at this request, and fought to restrain her emotions lest they spill over in tears. With quavering voice, she gave as brief an account as possible, ending with Feladyrne leaving the scene.

With a probing look, Lothiriel persisted quietly, "And what of you, Tamwen? What did you do after that? Where did you go?"

Unable to hold it in check any longer, Tamwen gave a gasping sob and broke into uncontrollable tears, and instantly Lothiriel moved to sit beside her. Lothiriel took her cup of tea and set it aside before taking the girl into her arms. Caffola was nearly twitching with the effort it took to restrain himself from moving to join them, and comfort the woman he loved. Whether she cared for him or not, he could not bear to see her so aggrieved.

Gradually, her weeping eased and she stumbled over her words to explain, "I…I did not wish for Caffola to be hurt! I swear it! My parents thought I should turn my attentions solely to Feladyrne, but they were greatly mistaken about his character, as I was. I…I…I could not bear to see Caffola hurt and know I had caused it, so I ran away and…cried all night. I am so very sorry for the terrible things I have done!" She fell to weeping again, as Lothiriel continued to hold her and soothingly stroke her head.

As she subsided once more, Lothiriel asked gently, "What terrible things have you done, but be misled by someone you thought trustworthy, and obey your parents?"

Tamwen's head came up in bewilderment at the question. Surely the queen was not forgiving her part in all this, and certainly Caffola would not wish to be so generous. But a quick look at him, showed nothing but anxiety on her behalf shining in his eyes. When she turned once more to the queen, Lothiriel asked, "If I may be so bold, Tamwen, do you have feelings for Caffola?"

Her stomach lurched at the query, and Tamwen's eyes again flicked to Caffola, who was waiting – expectantly? _Surely, he did not still care for her! Surely he would not forgive her…._ But there was such a look of longing there, and she could not stop herself from admitting, "I do. I…love him. I never truly wanted to accept Feladyrne, but my parents persuaded me it would be for the best." She dropped her eyes in shame, for her parents' misjudgement and for her own behavior.

Lothiriel's gaze came up to meet Caffola's, noting that he seemed stuck in stunned silence. "Dearest? Is there anything you wish to say to Tamwen, in light of her confession?" A twinkle lit her eyes as she awaited his response.

Always to the point, Caffola said the first thing that came to his mind, "Marry me?"

"Marry? Truly? After what I–" she began to protest, but he cut her off.

"I love you! I came to Edoras with the intent of seeking your hand. Please?"

With another gasp, Tamwen began to sob again, but this time with joy. Now her tears did propel Caffola out of his chair, and Lothiriel relinquished her seat to him so he could take his beloved in his arms. The couple did not even notice the queen slip from the room.

It was a long while before Tamwen recovered her composure enough to speak, but when she tried to make her apologies, Caffola silenced her, pressing a kiss to her head. "Shhh…it does not matter. All is in the past; the only thing that matters is that you are here with me now and have accepted me, my love," he whispered fervently.

With great clarity, Tamwen realized how different it felt being alone with Caffola than it had with Feladyrne. Caffola's embrace, his kiss, did not feel inappropriate or offensive as Feladyrne's had, and there was no question in her mind that this man beside her thought much differently of her character than her undesirable suitor had. This man was safe and sure, and she knew he would never display a dark underbelly. Slipping her arms around him, she let her head come to rest on his shoulder with a sigh of contentment and relief. This was where she had wanted to be all along.

Unfortunately, there was still the matter of her parents. She could not be sure how they would take this new development, but anger flared in her at the thought. If need be, she would go against them in this, but she _would_ be Caffola's wife.

Unconsciously, she had stiffened slightly at her unpleasant thoughts, and Caffola looked down questioningly at her. With a sigh, she confessed what was on her mind, but reiterated her determination, "I will not let them keep us apart, Caffola! If they wish to disown me for not obeying them, then so be it."

Caffola gazed at her with troubled eyes, but nodded. He had not intended to cause a rift in her family. He had thought the only hurdle he had was in winning her consent, not the goodwill of her family also. Unexpectedly, his mind flashed back to his conversation with Elfwine, after seeing Tamwen with Feladyrne and being rejected by her. No, he would not worry. Elfwine would support him in this, and perhaps that would be enough to sway her parents' opinion in his favor. And surely the rest of the royal family would stand by him as well. He would trust the outcome would be favorable.

Caffola was too straightforward to beat about the bush. Rising, he pulled Tamwen up with him. "Let us go and seek an audience with your parents now. I would have this resolved quickly, and claim you for my own."

Impulsively, he pressed another kiss to her head, though he blushed at his gesture. While he was affectionate, he had always been quite reserved and proper in his behavior with Tamwen and other girls, so this intimacy was new to him and felt awkward. Tamwen, however, seemed to have no objections to it and smiled warmly at him, kissing his cheek in response.

She was a bit intimidated at the idea of facing her parents, but probably sooner was better than later. Taking a deep breath of resolve, she nodded her agreement to his proposal, and they moved toward the door. As they did, they settled into the more proper mode of her arm around his, and they made their way to the Golden Hall.

Neither was terribly surprised to find the queen tarrying there, keeping an eye out for them. Moving to join her, Caffola explained their intent and the queen nodded. "I will send for Leofwine and you may meet with them in my sitting room. Would you like me to join you, dearest?"

His eyes answered her question before he ever said a word and she smiled reassuringly at him. Reaching out, she stroked his head, "All will be well, dearest. I am sure of it. You are a fine man and I will convince them of that, if they do not see it for themselves."

Just then, Elfwine and Freawine came down the length of the hall, calling out a greeting. It did not take long for Elfwine to realize this was more than just a casual meeting taking place, and he also agreed to participate and put in a good word for Caffola.

A page was dispatched to fetch Leofwine, and Lothiriel sent for Durucwen to meet them in her room. Freawine had thought to excuse himself, but everyone seemed to expect him to remain, so he willingly did. Being Elfwine's closest friend, he had had much association with Caffola also and knew the young man well. What was more, he was the one most acquainted with Feladyrne, and knew more than a little of the man's reputation and past behavior. Likely he could comment there as well, if need be.

Leofwine took the longest to arrive, coming from his tannery, but the group was soon assembled, with Durucwen eyeing Caffola rather suspiciously and wondering why her 'ill' daughter was in attendance. As the queen seemed content to wait for all to gather before explaining her summons, everyone mostly stood silent or offered only inconsequential conversation.

When at length Leofwine joined them, Lothiriel prefaced the proceedings with a few remarks before letting Caffola have his say. "Durucwen, Leofwine, there have been some recent events of which you need to be made aware. But perhaps the most pressing, and happiest of all, is what Caffola would like to say."

She gestured for him to take over, and Caffola nervously cleared his throat. Tamwen tightened her grip on his arm, that she had never relinquished, in a sign of encouragement. It served its purpose, and he pressed determinedly on, "Durucwen, Leofwine, I…I am in love with your daughter and wish to make her my wife. She has accepted my suit and now I seek your blessing on our union as well. I am not a rich man, but I have a good occupation and I work hard. I have recently built a home for us and have managed to set aside some money. I know I will be able to take good care of her, and any family that may come to us." He cleared his throat again and then asked, "What say you?"

Tamwen's parents were looking uncomfortable about being put on the spot this way, and gazing less than favorably at their daughter's suitor. Tamwen could guess their thoughts; they were wondering why she was with him rather than Feladyrne. At the realization, her anger flared and she told them bitingly, "Caffola is a fine man! He is much better than Feladyrne who tried to–" Emotion overcame her and she broke off her words as she remembered Feladyrne's less-than-savory overtures to her. Caffola's hand covered hers gently, pressing it in a calming manner.

Her father had not missed what she had been saying and asked with narrowed eyes, "Tried to what?"

Caffola and Tamwen shifted uneasily, not wanting to relive the previous night's events, but Elfwine stepped forward and told them, "He tried to take liberties with your daughter! Had not Caffola intervened, he might have succeeded!" Gesturing to Caffola's face, he commented pointedly, "You can see for yourselves the result of his defending Tamwen's honor! My mother spent this morning cleaning him up and treating his injuries!"

Durucwen had gone white at this revelation, while her husband had passed through white and was now purple with anger. For a moment, it almost appeared as though he would storm from the room and do some bodily harm to Feladyrne, but suddenly he seemed to remember where he was and who he was with, and recovered his self control.

Glancing at his wife, he stepped forward sheepishly and said, "I thank you, Caffola, for protecting Tamwen. It would appear we greatly misjudged Feladyrne's character…and your worth. I…we…accept your suit for Tamwen's hand and you have our blessing." The last was said slightly grudgingly, and it was clear the man did not like having to make such a public apology and admit his mistakes. His wife nodded stiffly in agreement with his words, though it was equally evident she did so reluctantly.

For Caffola's part, he was willing to accept this much capitulation and hope to improve their relationship later. With an exhale of relief, he pulled Tamwen into an embrace and held her close, resting his cheek on the top of her head.

After several moments, Lothiriel began seating everyone to discuss the particulars and sent for wine to celebrate. Elfwine and Freawine excused themselves from participating, but as they stepped into the hall and walked back toward the Golden Hall, Freawine was lost in thought.

Elfwine came to a stop and raised a questioning eyebrow at his friend. Pursing his lips, Freawine observed, "This much is resolved, but I know Feladyrne better than any of you. He is not above bragging – even where he has no cause."

Elfwine nodded slowly in comprehension, then got a steely look in his eye. "Perhaps I should consider having a little talk with Feladyrne–"

Freawine gave a grin and inclined his head in agreement. "Indeed. A wise idea."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: Well, here it is - the final chapter of this story. I have one more Chronicle ready to post (in the next few days) and I'm presently working on an Elboron story that will be fairly long (probably at least 3 chapters, depending on how it turns out)._**

**Chapter 3**

The Spring Festival was in full swing. The first night of the street festival portion was always loud and rambunctious, and few saw their beds before the wee hours of morning, though they often regretted it when they had to rise early to begin the day.

Dariel had not felt up to venturing into town for the activities, so Elfwine and Freawine had gone together, wandering about as they enjoyed the atmosphere and the food. The pair even tried their hand at a few games and did some dancing. After more than an hour, Elfwine was considering returning home, having promised his wife he would not stay out late. But first, there was one more thing he needed to do.

It did not take long to locate Feladyrne. He was seated with his friend Dengel and several other riders, enjoying some ale after a warm session of energetic dancing. Elfwine and Freawine watched the group for a moment from the shadows, then each collected a tankard of ale and moved toward the table to join them. Freawine and Dengel served in the same eored, so the association was not unusual, and they were greeted heartily.

"Talking of women, I expect?" Freawine asked, taking a swallow of ale, and the men chuckled in admission.

"What man does not think, and speak, of women?" Elfwine said, rhetorically. He paused, then added, "But I am glad men of the Riddermark have honor, and respect, for women."

His comment drew all eyes to him, and he continued, "Do you know, my friend Eldarion tells me there are men in Gondor who will seek to take liberties with young ladies, and then brag of their successes. And, should she reject their advances, they will lie, and claim what never occurred, thus sullying her reputation and good name." His eyes flicked to Feladyrne, and Elfwine held the man's gaze briefly. Then, glancing down, he lifted his mug and took a swallow before commenting, "I am glad men of Rohan are not like that. Should I ever hear of someone doing such a thing to a woman of my acquaintance, I fear I could not hold my temper in seeking retribution on her behalf." Again his eyes met Feladyrne's, pointedly, and the other man clearly took his meaning.

Finishing his drink as the others murmured agreement with his sentiment, Elfwine rose. "Well, my friends, I should get home to my wife. Enjoy your evening."

Freawine drained his mug and stood also. "I will go with you. It has been a long day."

With that, the two departed. Only Feladyrne seemed to have noticed where Elfwine's comments were directed, for which he was relieved. He had bragged a time or two about his conquests, and had considered claiming such with Tamwen, to spite her for the failed outcome. However, bloodying Caffola's nose was one thing; raising the ire of the royal family entirely another. All things considered, he thought he'd just as soon forget he ever met Tamwen.

xxxx

At breakfast the next morning, Lothiriel eyed Caffola as she handed him a basket of bread. "How long are you here for, dearest?"

Caffola took the basket, selecting a slice of bread, and then passing it on to Theodwyn. "Byldan has given me a fortnight, so well over a week yet," he answered.

"Good," Lothiriel smiled. "We can announce your betrothal today and you can be wed before you depart. We will have to press a bit, but that should give you some time alone with your new bride before you must return to work."

Caffola blushed at her words. It still seemed strange to think of himself with a wife, and yet it also sounded very good in his ears. "You do not need to go to any trouble on my account," he assured the queen. "A simple ceremony is all that is needed."

"Nonsense!" Lothiriel responded, as Elfwine snickered down at his plate. He well knew his mother would never settle for 'simple' where one of her 'children' was concerned. "You are like my own son, and you shall be married in a manner befitting such. Of course you will want Byldan and Halmeth to come. Is there anyone else from the Folde that you particularly wish to invite?" she queried.

Caffola shook his head, trying to hide his pleasure at her sentiments about him. With embarrassment, he admitted, "I am friendly with the other workers, but we are not close." He glanced at Elfwine and added quietly, "Elfwine is my closest friend."

Now Elfwine chuckled and gave him a knowing look. "Someone you rarely see is your closest friend? That is only because you spend more time befriending your horses than other people! Indeed, I am amazed you were able to notice Tamwen since her mane and tail are not the sort you are used to appreciating in a female!" he teased.

Again Caffola blushed in embarrassment, well aware of how true Elfwine's words were, but he knew the teasing was good-natured and he grinned guiltily. "It is your fault," he retorted. "You drew my attention to Tamwen's fine conformation!"

While the family laughed, Elfwine shook his head. "Not so! You had noticed before I said a word. I merely made the introductions!"

Just then, Tamwen entered to see if there was anything the family needed, and Caffola beamed warmly at her. She tried to conceal a blush as she attended to her duties.

After assuring the girl they were not in want, Lothiriel eyed her speculatively, then announced, "I believe, Tamwen, that I must release you from service at Meduseld immediately."

Tamwen's eyes went wide in dismay, wondering what she had done to cause the queen's displeasure, but Lothiriel smiled warmly at her, adding, "With so little time to prepare, you shall need every moment to ready yourself for your wedding. You will, of course, receive the full month's wages anyway. Have Durucwen see me after our meal and I will discuss this further with her."

Tamwen was staring at the queen, in shock at her words, though clearly none of the royal family seemed surprised by this declaration, and Caffola was looking quite pleased about it. Catching the girl's expression, Lothiriel assured her, "Dearest, do not be alarmed by this. You are marrying a young man who is as a son to me, which means you will be like a member of our family very soon. You must allow me to treat you accordingly!"

The family was grinning at her befuddled countenance, but Caffola quietly urged, "Go and tell your mother, beloved. I will see you shortly in the Hall."

Nodding agreement, Tamwen moved out the door in a daze. It had never occurred to her that in accepting Caffola she would be finding a place amongst the royals. While she had known of their close association, it had never dawned on her that such would be extended to her as well.

"Thank you," Caffola sincerely told the queen, after Tamwen was gone.

Lothiriel smiled at him as she buttered some bread. "Not at all, dearest. I meant what I said. Now, then, as your 'mother', would you have me plan this wedding for you?"

Fighting to suppress tears of gratitude, Caffola merely nodded. To speak just now was beyond him.

xx

If Tamwen had been stunned by the queen's announcement, Durucwen was even more so. She had known that Caffola was a close friend to the royals, but she had never quite realized the depth of the relationship they had with the boy. Clearly, she and her husband should have given him more credit when they were pressing their daughter to accept another.

Later that morning, there was an announcement on the steps of Meduseld of the betrothal. A small crowd had gathered as word had spread that the king would be making a statement. The family stood surrounding Caffola and Tamwen, and Elfwine made it a point to stand next to his friend, with an arm around his shoulders, as a reminder to all of his close connection to the young man. He had spotted Feladyrne hovering on the edge of the assembly, and he did not want him forgetting their little conversation of the previous night, or be tempted to disrupt the proceedings.

However, Feladyrne was not at all inclined to make trouble. In fact, he was trying to keep as much out of sight as possible. He had gotten one brief glimpse of Leofwine, and the threatening look on the man's face made it very clear he should give Tamwen's father a wide berth.

Leofwine had been mortified and embarrassed to discover the young man he and his wife had been pressing their daughter to associate with was of such poor character. He had always taken pride in his good judgement, and to have his error made so publicly known left a bitter taste in his mouth. Since Feladyrne had been prevented from actually doing anything untoward to his daughter, he couldn't feel justified in beating the young man to within a hair of his life, but that didn't mean he couldn't breathe down his neck and make him worry on that point. And Leofwine intended to make very sure his character was voiced around to protect other men's daughters from falling victim to this predator.

It would take awhile for Leofwine to overcome his embarrassment and warm up to Caffola, but he was grateful the young man had been there and prevented a scandal. Clearly he was more worthwhile than Leofwine had thought, and it was a relief that he still wished to marry Tamwen after recent events.

The wedding was set for a sennight later, and once the well-wishers had dispersed, Lothiriel led the couple and Durucwen to her sitting room to discuss the particulars of the event. Most of Tamwen's friends were those who worked at Meduseld, so Lothiriel instructed Durucwen to hire temporary workers for the wedding festivities, so that the friends could participate in the celebration.

The next order of business was a dress, and since Tamwen had nothing suitable that she felt strongly about wearing, the queen took her to her own wardrobe. They eventually chose one of hers that appealed to the girl, despite Tamwen's protests that she could not accept such a gift. As Tamwen was quite a bit shorter than Lothiriel, they needed to get to work altering it to fit her, and Tamwen eagerly undertook the task so that she would have a personal hand in her wedding dress.

Elfwine, meanwhile, had taken Caffola into town to acquire a new outfit of clothing suitable to the occasion. He had considered sharing something of this own, but Caffola was of a much slighter build than he, and reworking something to fit him would have taken considerable work. Besides, he thought the young man deserved new clothes with which to start his new life.

Meduseld was a study in hustle and bustle for the next week. Lothiriel was having a wonderful time arranging decorations and food for the event, and finding reason after reason to make small gifts to each half of the couple. When her own children married, they would be well gifted from a great many sources, but these two either had no family or only those of meager means. She delighted in the opportunity to be generous with her resources to make the day extra special for them, and to outwardly show her great love for Caffola.

For his part, Caffola had always known the family considered him one of their own, but this outpouring of effort on his behalf was still overwhelming. He had never even considered such a possibility when he had been making plans to ask Tamwen to marry him, but he realized he should have known they would not treat him any less than if one of the king's children was marrying.

xx

The morning of the wedding dawned clear and bright. Byldan and Halmeth had arrived the previous afternoon, and they had spent a delightful evening over supper with the betrothed couple and the royals. Between Lothiriel and Halmeth, Caffola was well mothered the rest of the evening and the morning of his wedding, and both had a fine time telling Tamwen affectionate tales about her soon-to-be-husband, something Caffola was not quite sure he appreciated.

Despite his confidence in his love for Tamwen, Caffola was more nervous than he had expected as the day passed. Elfwine took him out for a lengthy ride to distract him for a time, and Eothain, who was riding escort, kept both entertained with his droll commentary on married life. As both knew that the big man doted on his wife, neither took his wry comments very seriously, but they enjoyed listening all the same.

And then it was time for the wedding. Caffola stood fretfully with Elfwine and the king, awaiting his bride's arrival, and he was rendered speechless at the sight of her. They had not let him see the gown she would be wearing, and it suited her wonderfully, fitting to perfection. All he could do was stand and beam adoringly at her as she drew near.

Most of the ceremony did not register in Caffola's mind, all his attention being focused on Tamwen gazing lovingly up at him, but Elfwine nudged him at the appropriate times to give his response as things proceeded. And then she was his and he kissed her fervently. As they broke apart, he wrapped her in his embrace and pressed his cheek to the top of her head, stifling the tears of joy that wanted to take him.

The queen stepped to their side, then, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Congratulations, my son," she whispered, then added to Tamwen, "and welcome to the family, dearest."

THE END

9/15/06 – 10/6/06


End file.
